Greater Twin Cities United Way Welcomes New CEO

Greater Twin Cities United Way is pleased to announce today that John Wilgers will join the organization as President and CEO on May 20.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, John will focus on advancing our mission to build pathways toward prosperity and equity for all by increasing access for all to stable housing, healthy food, a strong education, jobs and economic opportunity.

“John has the tremendous ability to build strong, trust-based relationships, focused on listening, learning and leading,” said Tim Welsh, chair of United Way’s Board and Vice Chairman of Consumer Banking Sales and Support at U.S. Bank. “Over the past year, United Way has achieved great momentum aligned with its long-range plan, and it’s an ideal time for John to lead the organization through the next phase of its transformation.”

In his new role, John will oversee strategic innovation, community impact strategy, direct-service offerings, cross-sector partnerships, revenue diversification and fundraising initiatives. He joins United Way after 35 years at Ernst & Young where he most recently held the position of managing partner of the Minneapolis office, successfully leading teams through recessions, turnarounds and major wins and losses.

A passionate community advocate over the past nine years, Wilgers has served in several United Way roles including board chair, member of the executive committee of the board, volunteer, fundraiser and donor.

“I believe everyone has a responsibility to serve others and United Way is a great place for me to fulfill that responsibility in a community that I’ve grown to love,” said John. “I’m excited to work with a great community of impact-focused partners, generous donors and United Way’s strong leadership team.”